SOLO PLAY
by sdhalfacre
Summary: Han has plans to make a pre-emptive strike... (this takes place well after Heir to the Empire)
1. SOLO PLAY: Once upon a time

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SOLO PLAY

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By: _Scott D. Halfacre_

Copyright 2000

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Characters owned by George Lucas, situations are created by me and not meant to blah blah blah.

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CHAPTER ONE

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Snap-Hiss

"Then a blur of movement and the threat is no more." A deep baritone voice comes from a two-tone blue figure with no visible nose. "Child's play."

A dark figure loomed above the small three-dimensional display depicting Luke Skywalker fighting three armed men. "What's that Milok?" The dark figure dressed in flowing robes asks without looking at the blue being.

"My Lord, I have seen you--"

"**That** is not the point, I wish to find this Skywalker." The Dark Lord turns slowly toward Milok, silver eyes glowing in the darkness of the hooded robe.

"Yes my Lord." Milok the blue-skinned figure backs out of the room while bowing.

"Skywalker will be mine."

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"Han, you don't have to go." Leia stared into her husband's eyes while holding his face.

"Keep Chewie with you," Han's lopsided-grin was in place, "Just keep Golden Rod also!"

"Someday I just may not, just to torture you."

The two begin to kiss deeply and were interrupted by a small toddler with floppy hair just like his father's, only blond.

"Mommy!" Anakin exclaimed. "Daddy!"

Han scooped up the child with one arm and kissed his wife gently on her cheek. "Chewie'll take care of the kids."

"Don't bet on it!" Leia tried to take the child from his arms.

"Hey," Even after all these years the lopsided-grin has never lost its magic, "Trust me." 

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The movements were perfect.

The glowing green blade hummed away as Luke blocked and parried five of his best students.

Yet Luke had not moved.

He saw this all in his Mind's Eye.

"Begin." Luke exhaled the word and they began.

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Applause broke the concentration of the group and they were quickly dispatched, even faster than Luke's Mind's Eye had imagined.

"Han!" Luke smiled at his long time companion.

They clasped in a hug and broke it just as quickly as it had begun.

"Kid, I need a favor." Han said while glancing at the crowd of students gathering.

"Uhmmm, class dismissed." Luke said. 

A small boy around the age of Anakin came up to the two of them. "Master Skywalker?"

"Yes M?" Luke saw Han's eyes give that expression they give when he's annoyed at something. Even being a father hadn't changed that look one bit.

"Tomorrow, same time?" The small dark skinned boy with a shaved head asked.

"Sorry, he has an appointment." Han interrupted.

"M, I have something to do. Jayla will run the session." Luke's patience on the other hand would make him a great father.

The boy gave a look to Han, then at his pistol, which hung from his belt, and away the boy went.

"Weapons are forbidden." Luke glanced where the boy's attention was.

"Yeah well, I ain't a Jedi." Han started for the door and stopped when he realized Luke wasn't coming.

"I'll return it when we you are off the premises." Luke started for the door gliding past Han.

Han looked down and sure enough, his belt no longer had its trusty companion.

Han smiled to himself and followed his long time friend.

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"What are you talking about?" Luke asked.

Luke's eyes showed fear Han thought to himself.

"I am not afraid." Luke smiled at him.

"No, of course not." Han looked past the Jedi to the door to the terrace.

"She know about this?"

"Leia's in the dark about this." Han said flatly.

"Got it." Luke shook his head in an affirmative.

After a sufficient amount of time passed Luke stared into Han's eyes. "Where did you hear about this?"

"Grapevine." Han tried to keep things from Luke, but knew it wouldn't work.

"Lando," Luke stood slowly, "When?"

"The attempt on her life is supposed to take place this month." A tear appeared in Han's eye.

"I have responsibilities, I can't just pick up and leave for a month." Luke said.

"I know, that's why I want you to stay here with her."

"Where are you going?" Luke asked even though the violent feelings covered his friend like a blanket.

Han just smiled, lopsided of course, and stood and left.

"May the Force be with you." Luke said to his back.

"Same to you." Han said without looking back and exited the terrace.

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	2. SOLO PLAY: A friend in need

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SOLO PLAY

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By: _Scott D. Halfacre_

Copyright 2000

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Characters owned by George Lucas, situations are created by me and not meant to blah blah blah.

Although I will claim ownership to Aceilk and B'Hamm

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CHAPTER TWO

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"There was once a time when you'd just charge in with that blaster and ask questions later."

"Once upon a time, I suppose there was." Han gave Lando a knowing grin.

"You know there was." Lando's expert hands flew across the instrument panel. "Another minute."

Han nodded an acknowledgement. "I have a family now, things are slightly different." 

"But you still **want** to, don't ya?" Lando's lady-killer smile went all the way up to his eyes.

"When someone threatens my family…" Han didn't have to finish the sentence, his meaning was clear.

"I haven't seen that look on you… well… ever." Lando eyed his pal, "You might actually **earn** the name "pirate" with that attitude." 

"You know the odds of finding who--" Lando started.

Han laughed as an alarm went off letting him know to hit the hyperspace lever.

Throwing the lever forward Han's eyes twinkle, "Never tell me the odds."

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Three figures entered the bar; one of them could easily dwarf Chewbacca. The people that knew better moved for the back of the room, the ones that didn't would soon understand why.

"Aceilk? Tell the owner of this… establishment," Milok said in a disgusted way, "The Lord wishes to speak with him about keeping this… place."

The large black figure moved forward with a grace belying his size. "This can go two ways… The easy way--" His voice boomed much louder than it should have been able to do in such a noisy environment.

The slightly smaller white figure stepped forward, "Or **my** way." He placed his hands on either side of the nearest patron's head, snapping her neck with little show of force. As he released her head, the woman's body slumped to the floor of the bar with the audible gasps of some of the other patrons.

One man leaped from his chair, almost getting the drop on the white figure. But he forgot about Aceilk.

Aceilk's left hand shot out with such force you could hear the movement of his clothes, but grabbed the throat of the man with equal grace. "B'hamm tends to be on the more violent side than I, but you don't want to test me either." Aceilk lifted the man off the floor as he tried to squirm out of the bigger mans hands.

"Take the nerf-herder's head off." B'hamm showed his teeth, it was obvious he enjoyed his work.

"B'hamm! Aceilk! Enough!" Milok satisfied with the work of the two decided to call a halt to it. Aside from the Lord, these two scared him just as much. He had seen these two get carried away before, it isn't a pretty site. "I'm sure the owner is willing to chat."

A man with a white beard stood and nodded, patting the man in Aceilk's grasp on the shoulder. "I'm sure none of us will be any more trouble."

"I am as well." The man in Aceilk's eyes started rolling back in his head as blood trickled from his mouth.

Aceilk dropped the man the two feet he had lifted the man from the floor, the body of the man was convulsing; yet no one dared move to help.

B'hamm spit on the body, "Let's chat." He said with a grin that said talking was the last thing on his mind.

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Jayla slid into a defensive stance as the rest of the class followed her movements. The false lightsaber they used in practice was like an extension of her lithe body. Her long brown hair tied back out of her face, which showed nothing but concentration.

Luke stood at one end of the room, unnoticed by all except one.

Luke nodded solemnly at the boy named M; the boy smiled in return and went back to copying the movements Jayla made.

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"Are you sure we won't be recognized?" Lando said trying to smooth the wrinkles in the clothes Han had picked for him. Lando was sure that Han had given him the uglier of the two outfits on purpose.

"Check the ego on you," Han grinned, "You look like every other scoundrel on the prowl."

"No thanks to you." Lando succeeded in getting the material to lay flat, but only for a moment, it moved right back to it's state of being wrinkled.

"I'm not a maid." Han said as monotone as possible.

"You're not much of a politician either."

"I got them to let me keep the Falcon didn't I?" Han gave his fake "my pride is hurt" look.

"No one will notice us," Han smirked, "Trust me."

"Ready?" Lando smiled.

Han checked the battery status on his blaster, placing it back in his gunslinger type belt. "I'm always ready."

As they entered the bar, "Those are the two I've been warning you guys about." A female voice says as everyone spins their way.

"Trust you?" Lando mocks in Han's ear.

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"Master?" Jayla came over to where Luke stood watching.

"Yes?" Luke's eyes roamed her frame noticing the sheen of sweat on her. She had indeed been training hard.

"You seem distant, I never noticed you enter." Jayla moved some stray hairs behind her right ear.

"You were focused, I wasn't a danger. If I had been you would have noticed." Luke smiled.

"That's not what I meant, I'm not worried about me." Jayla has the kind of smile that her eyes twinkle when she did smile, and a dimple appears only on her right cheek.

"I know." Luke said.

"Where's Mara Jade? I haven't seen her since I took over the class."

"It's nothing against you, she had pressing matters." Luke tousled the girl's hair.

"Yes Master." Jayla smiled pushing her hair back where it belonged, bowing an acknowledgement and leaving.

"If he only knew…" Luke sighed to no one.

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The red head spins in her barstool sipping some greenish liquid. "Forget the two bullies that were in here before, that's the man you don't want to mess with."

She smiles and stands at attention. "General."

"Trust you?" Lando mocks in Han's ear.

Han smiles even though he doesn't feel like it. His poker face was something he worked on for years, Han just hoped it didn't fail him now. "Mara."

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End file.
